Why is parasitic nutrition described as a strategy where organisms 'derive nutrition from plants or animals without killing them'? Name two examples.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-11 09:38 · grounding rag
Model Answer
In parasitic nutrition, the parasite lives on or inside a host (plant or animal) and absorbs nutrients from it without killing the host. The host remains alive, as the parasite depends on its continued survival for a sustained food supply.
Examples: Cuscuta (amar-bel) and tapeworm.
Source: Chapter 5, Section 5.2.2 Heterotrophic Nutrition
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Explanation
- The key idea examiners look for is that the host stays alive — this is what distinguishes parasitism from predation (where the prey is killed).
- Mention the dependency on the living host to explain why it is not killed.
- Always give two distinct examples as asked; the textbook lists: cuscuta, ticks, lice, leeches, tapeworms — any two are acceptable.
- Do not confuse parasitic nutrition with saprophytic (fungi breaking down dead matter) or holozoic nutrition.